Abstract: The image processing apparatus includes a plurality of scanning units scanning on both sides of a document in parallel and an image processing unit executing image processing on image data obtained by scanning of the scanning units. The first side image data obtained by the first scanning unit scanning on a first side of the document is transferred in real-time to the image processing unit in synchronous with a synchronous signal. On the other hand, the second side image data obtained by the second scanning unit scanning on a second side of the document is stored in a memory and after the transfer of the first side image data, transferred to the image processing unit in synchronous with the synchronous signal, a cycle time of which is changed in accordance with the processing contents.

Abstract: In accordance with the present disclosure, there is provided a method for compensating tones on a compressed digital image data. The method comprises generating the compressed digital image from an input digital image data using a wavelet-based compression method; recovering a low resolution version of the input digital image data from the compressed digital image data by partially decompressing the compressed digital image; applying compensating tone reproduction curves (TRC) to the low resolution version of the input digital image data to generate a compensated low resolution image; re-compressing the image using the compensated low resolution image; and, subsequently decompressing all of the compensated pixel arrays to produce decompressed compensated image data.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image processor capable of generating an image from which a user-designated color component has been removed and performing a color/monochrome determination correctly. In order to complete the task, an image processor according to the present invention comprises a removal unit that removes a removal color part from a read image, and a determination unit that determines whether the read image from which the removal color part has been removed by the removal unit is a monochrome image or a color image.

Abstract: An image forming method includes marking a cutting pattern over an image to be printed, designating portions of the cutting pattern as a portion to be kept in the image to be printed and a portion to be discarded, creating an image mask using information of the designated portions, applying the image mask to create a modified image in which the portion to be kept is exposed and the portion to be discarded is hidden by the image mask, applying colorant only to the portion to be kept of the modified image, which is exposed by the image mask, to create an outputted image with colorant only on the portion to be kept, and cutting away the portion to be discarded of the modified image, which is hidden by the image mask, so that the portion to be discarded is not included in the outputted image.

Abstract: There are provided a first color processing step of performing color processing on an image read from a front side of a document and a second color processing step of performing color processing on an image read from a back side of the document. A color of the image color-processed in the first color processing step is set as an initial target. A color processing parameter used in the second color processing step is adjusted such that a color of the image color-processed in the second color processing step matches the initial target. The color processing parameters used in the first and second color processing steps are adjusted in multiple steps such that both the color obtained by the parameter adjustment and the color of the image color-processed in the first color processing step become closer stepwise to the color of the image color-processed in the second color processing step.

Abstract: To achieve an information output device in which information of a medium disposed on a stage surface can be surely and efficiently read out, and a stage effect and a security are high. In the information output device, media are disposed on a stage surface in a state where the media are opposite to the stage surface, the media where dot patterns are printed on medium surfaces on the basis of a predetermined rule, the dot patterns are read by imaging units disposed in a space below the stage and converted into code values or coordinate values indicating the dot patterns from photographed images obtained by the imaging units, and information corresponding to the code values or the coordinate values is outputted.

Abstract: Diffusion dithering can be performed efficiently by applying a set of diffusion filter weights with one or more shift, add, and/or subtract operations. An existing diffusion filter can be approximated with dyadic rationals, thereby allowing division operations in applying the filter weights to be performed with bit-shifting operations. An algorithm is identified to calculate the product of a set of filter weights and a pixel error, where the algorithm performs the calculations using one or more shift, add, or subtract operations. An exhaustive search of the combinations of operations can be made to find an efficient algorithm to calculate the products.

Abstract: When image data is obtained through a network from a document reading portion or a PC etc., a main control portion displays, through a display control portion, a document icon in a document icon area on a display portion. A user drags and drops the document icon on an output image operation area with a touch pen or the like, and the main control portion displays the specified document icon on the area. Moreover, when specification of a paper area, a position of a punch hole, a position of stapling, and the like is performed with the touch pen or the like, the main control portion determines whether or not setting is possible and outputs specified data to an image formation control portion and a post-process control portion.

Abstract: An improved variable data printing (VDP) method is disclosed. A VDP database contains variable data and form data. The variable data includes a plurality of entries each having a plurality attributes. The form data includes images. Each printed piece of a VDP production includes variable data and form data selected based on the variable data attributes. When the printed pieces include a background image and foreground text to be printed over the background image, and when different pieces in the VDP production have different background image, the method automatically selects a text color to print the foreground text over the background image on each piece to enhance visibility and/or aesthetic appearance. In addition, the foreground text color for each piece may be selected based on additional attributes of the variable data.

Abstract: An image processing device comprises an image processing unit capable of executing multiple types of image processing (differing in the amount of pixel loss caused to an image edge) to an image as a processing target, a specifying unit which specifies image processing that should be executed by the image processing unit from the multiple types of image processing, and a target image extending unit which extends the area of the image as the processing target depending on the amount of pixel loss to be caused by the image processing specified by the specifying unit. The image processing unit executes the image processing specified by the specifying unit to the image whose area has been extended by the target image extending unit.

Abstract: A halftone screen which is applicable to a low-resolution electrophotographic printer is created. Hence, dot-lattice points arranged in a predetermined region are displaced using rotation processing, the predetermined region is partitioned into polygons each of which surrounds the dot-lattice point. Then, a threshold matrix used to grow a halftone dot, which is surrounded by each polygon, in a direction of the displacement is generated.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus, which includes an image processing unit to perform image processing for image data corresponding to an image to be formed on a printable medium; and a compensation unit to performs compensation processing on the image processed image data by increasing, by a compensation amount, a depth of shade of a pixel arranged in a printing direction adjacent to a solid pixel having a depth of shade greater than a predetermined value, so as to compensate for a depth deterioration of the adjacent pixel.

Abstract: There is provided a printing device that generates print data used for a printing process based on a print source. The printing device includes a duplication unit that duplicates a spool file that is generated from a single print source in a case where a direction for coloring a margin area in a predetermined color is received, a rendering unit that generates a print image by drawing one of the spool files, a halftone unit that generates first position data indicating a white area of an object included in the print image to be also an area in which the object exists by drawing the spool file by using a technique different from that used by the rendering unit and performs a halftone process for the area, in which the object is determined to exist based on the first position data, of the entire area of the print image, and a print data generating unit that generates the print data based on halftone data generated by the halftone unit.

Abstract: An image processing method is provided. The image processing method includes: generating profiles for color reproduction, classified for each of recording papers, from at least one of particular characteristic data of the each recording paper, which is generated on the basis of factors that affect color reproduction and particular generation information of the each recording paper, which is obtained by printing plural patch patterns at the recording paper and performing colorimetry of the printed patch patterns; and when implementing basic extraction control for extracting a profile that matches in at least one of the characteristic data and the generation information, if no profile that matches in at least one of the characteristic data and the generation information is extracted, extracting a profile that approximates in accordance with a pre-specified order of priority determination procedure to be a candidate.

Abstract: A device capable of providing an image quality that is close to a high resolution printing engine unit by low resolution printing engine unit. It includes a processing unit for comparing thresholds included in a high resolution dithering matrix with a pixel value included in each pixel of a low resolution input image and for outputting multi-level gray scale signal values. In addition, the processing unit includes a comparing unit for comparing a pixel value of each pixel of the low resolution input image with a plurality of thresholds included in the high resolution dithering matrix; an integrating unit for obtaining for each pixel the multi-level gray scale signal value by integrating a plurality of comparison results obtained for each pixel; and an output unit for outputting the multi-level gray scale signal values obtained by the integrating unit.

Abstract: Methods and systems for synchronization and control of multiple processes in a printer controller using headers associated with data and exchanged among the processes of the printer controller. A first feature hereof provides a method for job control and synchronization among a plurality of processes operable in a printer controller. The method includes associating a job control header with all print data exchanged between the plurality of processes of the printer controller. The method then includes synchronizing operation of the plurality of processes in accordance with information in the job control header. The headers may be exchanged in conjunction with print data moving through the multiple processes and may be generated and exchanged for synchronization and control independent of any print data. Synchronization events may include beginning and/or end of processing for a job, a page, a document, a page description language, etc.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which can guarantee the originality of a document consisting of a plurality of pages. To achieve the object, an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an extracting unit that extracts fiber information from paper media; a first storage unit that synthesizes and storing fiber information extracted from pages of a first paper medium consisting of a plurality of pages by using the extracting unit as first fiber information; a second storage unit that synthesizes and stores fiber information extracted from pages of a second paper medium consisting of a plurality of pages by using the extracting unit as second fiber information; and a comparing unit that compares the first fiber information and the second fiber information and determining whether these match each other.

Abstract: Methods and systems of selecting a color for a print operation are disclosed. A color including a color formula with multiple color components may be selected based on a reference color. A print sample may be printed on a printing device based on the selected color. The print sample may include the selected color and one or more rings of color variants. Each ring may include a plurality of color variants differing from a color component of the selected color by a corresponding amount. Each color variant may be aligned axially based on the color component that differs from the selected color and a magnitude of a difference between the color component of the color variant and the selected color. The print sample may be compared to the reference color. A document may be printed on the printing device using at least the color formula for the selected color.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus is disclosed. The image processing apparatus comprises a dividing module, a calculating module, a judging module and an adjusting module. The dividing module is used for dividing an image into a plurality of sub-images. The calculating module is used for generating a lightness threshold of the image. The judging module is used for comparing an original average lightness of a target sub-image among the plurality of sub-images with the lightness threshold. The adjusting selectively increases the original average lightness of the target sub-image according to the first judging module.

Abstract: When a process which does not carry out printing of image data by a print function is designated, based on the setting for the process, a determination is made as to whether a print function restriction setting is to be applied or not. As a result of the determination, when it is determined that the print function restriction setting is to be applied, a predetermined image is merged with the image data.